Top Elvis Songs according to Rolling Stone Magazine's "Reader's Poll."
"Jailhouse Rock" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote "Jailhouse Rock" specifically for Elvis Presley's 1957 movie of the same name. The song ended up knocking "Wake Up Little Susie" off the top of the charts.
"Heartbreak Hotel" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Many Americans first learned of Elvis Presley when "Heartbreak Hotel" came across their radios in early 1956. Presley's previous success was mostly regional, but with the help of his new label RCA, he recorded a song that would stay on top of the Hot 100 for seven straight weeks. It even got him invited onto TV, kicking off a nationwide Elvis hysteria that, in many ways, has yet to die down.
"Blue Suede Shoes" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly (rock and roll) records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time. Perkins' original version of the song was on the Cashbox Best Selling Singles list for 16 weeks, and spent 2 weeks in the No. 2 position. Elvis Presley performed his version of the song three different times on national television. It was also recorded by Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran among many others.
"Hound Dog" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"Hound Dog" has been recorded more than 250 times. The best-known version of "Hound Dog" is the July 1956 recording by Elvis Presley, which is ranked No. 19 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; it is also one of the best-selling singles of all time. Presley's version, which sold about 10 million copies globally, was his best-selling song and "an emblem of the rock 'n' roll revolution". It was simultaneously No. 1 on the US pop, country, and R&B charts in 1956, and it topped the pop chart for 11 weeks — a record that stood for 36 years.
"Suspicious Minds" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
1969, Elvis was just two years into his marriage with Priscilla when he recorded "Suspicious Minds," and he included details about his life in the song. Written by Mark James, it became his first Number One hit in seven years and was a regular highlight of his live show.
"Can't Help Falling in Love" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Fans at the final Elvis concerts knew the opening notes of "Can't Help Falling in Love" meant it was time to get ready to go. The dreamy song, which was written for his 1961 movie Blue Hawaii, ended every single one of his post-comeback shows. The sweet ode to true love was the perfect way to wrap up the evening. It has since been covered by everybody from Bob Dylan to U2 to UB40, who turned it into a huge hit in 1993.
"If I Can Dream" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Just two months after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Elvis Presley stepped into the Western Recorders studio and laid down this moving tribute to the civil rights hero. It was the stirring climax to his 1968 comeback special, and he belted it out with incredible passion. The song rose to Number 12 on the Hot 100, and today many see it as one of the greatest vocal performances of his career.
"In the Ghetto" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Elvis spent much of the 1960s churning out cheesy B-movies and lifeless soundtracks while new acts like the Beatles and Bob Dylan made him seem like a relic. His brilliant 1968 comeback special shot him back to the forefront, and he took his newfound energy into the studio to cut "In the Ghetto." It's a song about the vicious cycle of poverty and despair in America's inner-cities, and it eventually hit Number Three, cementing the fact that Elvis was back.
"Love Me Tender" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Few entertainers have ever had a year like Elvis Presley's 1956. Single after single flew up the charts, massive crowds of screaming fans followed him wherever he went and parents became convinced he was corrupting the young. His final Number One of the year was "Love Me Tender," a ballad written by Ken Darby. He played the song on The Ed Sullivan Show shortly before a movie of the same name hit theaters.
"An American Trilogy" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
The Civil War was over 100 years in the past when Elvis began singing "An American Trilogy" in 1972, but the scars still ran deep throughout America. The song was the work of Nashville pro Mickey Newbury, who tried to unite the two sides of the country together by combining "Dixie," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "All My Trials" into a grand patriotic medley. Somehow he pulled it off in a mere four-and-a-half minutes, and the resulting tune became a highlight of Presley's concerts during the last five years of his life.
"All Shook Up" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music and composed by Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley. The single topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to do so, and peaked at No. 3 on the country chart. It is certified 2X Platinum by the RIAA.
"Mystery Train" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Just months before Sam Phillips and Colonel Tom Parker sold Presley's contract to RCA for $40,000, Elvis went back into Sun Studios and cut this cover of a 1953 Junior Parker song. Backed by guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black and drummer Johnny Bernero, Presley quickened Park's original bluesy version. The new take peaked at Number 11 on the Billboard Country Chart, but a few months later RCA would release "Heartbreak Hotel" and completely eclipse everything that Presley released before. Still, "Mystery Train" endures as one of Elvis' most beloved songs.
Born in Topelo, Mississippi, America
Actively Performing: 1953-1977
January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977
Elvis Biography: Link
Elvis Record Auction: Link
Early Years: Link
First two recordings done before Elvis became famous 1953: My Happiness and That's When Your Heartaches Begin. Elvis' first big hit single was called, "That's Alright," and was recorded in 1954.
Top Elvis Songs according to Rolling Stone Magazine's "Reader's Poll."
"Jailhouse Rock" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote "Jailhouse Rock" specifically for Elvis Presley's 1957 movie of the same name. The song ended up knocking "Wake Up Little Susie" off the top of the charts.
"Heartbreak Hotel" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Many Americans first learned of Elvis Presley when "Heartbreak Hotel" came across their radios in early 1956. Presley's previous success was mostly regional, but with the help of his new label RCA, he recorded a song that would stay on top of the Hot 100 for seven straight weeks. It even got him invited onto TV, kicking off a nationwide Elvis hysteria that, in many ways, has yet to die down.
"Blue Suede Shoes" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly (rock and roll) records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time. Perkins' original version of the song was on the Cashbox Best Selling Singles list for 16 weeks, and spent 2 weeks in the No. 2 position. Elvis Presley performed his version of the song three different times on national television. It was also recorded by Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran among many others.
"Hound Dog" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"Hound Dog" has been recorded more than 250 times. The best-known version of "Hound Dog" is the July 1956 recording by Elvis Presley, which is ranked No. 19 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; it is also one of the best-selling singles of all time. Presley's version, which sold about 10 million copies globally, was his best-selling song and "an emblem of the rock 'n' roll revolution". It was simultaneously No. 1 on the US pop, country, and R&B charts in 1956, and it topped the pop chart for 11 weeks — a record that stood for 36 years.
"Suspicious Minds" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
1969, Elvis was just two years into his marriage with Priscilla when he recorded "Suspicious Minds," and he included details about his life in the song. Written by Mark James, it became his first Number One hit in seven years and was a regular highlight of his live show.
"Can't Help Falling in Love" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Fans at the final Elvis concerts knew the opening notes of "Can't Help Falling in Love" meant it was time to get ready to go. The dreamy song, which was written for his 1961 movie Blue Hawaii, ended every single one of his post-comeback shows. The sweet ode to true love was the perfect way to wrap up the evening. It has since been covered by everybody from Bob Dylan to U2 to UB40, who turned it into a huge hit in 1993.
"If I Can Dream" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Just two months after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Elvis Presley stepped into the Western Recorders studio and laid down this moving tribute to the civil rights hero. It was the stirring climax to his 1968 comeback special, and he belted it out with incredible passion. The song rose to Number 12 on the Hot 100, and today many see it as one of the greatest vocal performances of his career.
"In the Ghetto" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Elvis spent much of the 1960s churning out cheesy B-movies and lifeless soundtracks while new acts like the Beatles and Bob Dylan made him seem like a relic. His brilliant 1968 comeback special shot him back to the forefront, and he took his newfound energy into the studio to cut "In the Ghetto." It's a song about the vicious cycle of poverty and despair in America's inner-cities, and it eventually hit Number Three, cementing the fact that Elvis was back.
"Love Me Tender" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Few entertainers have ever had a year like Elvis Presley's 1956. Single after single flew up the charts, massive crowds of screaming fans followed him wherever he went and parents became convinced he was corrupting the young. His final Number One of the year was "Love Me Tender," a ballad written by Ken Darby. He played the song on The Ed Sullivan Show shortly before a movie of the same name hit theaters.
"An American Trilogy" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
The Civil War was over 100 years in the past when Elvis began singing "An American Trilogy" in 1972, but the scars still ran deep throughout America. The song was the work of Nashville pro Mickey Newbury, who tried to unite the two sides of the country together by combining "Dixie," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "All My Trials" into a grand patriotic medley. Somehow he pulled it off in a mere four-and-a-half minutes, and the resulting tune became a highlight of Presley's concerts during the last five years of his life.
"All Shook Up" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
"All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music and composed by Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley. The single topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to do so, and peaked at No. 3 on the country chart. It is certified 2X Platinum by the RIAA.
"Mystery Train" Lyrics, Performance, Sing-a-long
Just months before Sam Phillips and Colonel Tom Parker sold Presley's contract to RCA for $40,000, Elvis went back into Sun Studios and cut this cover of a 1953 Junior Parker song. Backed by guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black and drummer Johnny Bernero, Presley quickened Park's original bluesy version. The new take peaked at Number 11 on the Billboard Country Chart, but a few months later RCA would release "Heartbreak Hotel" and completely eclipse everything that Presley released before. Still, "Mystery Train" endures as one of Elvis' most beloved songs.